Inside the cave on the snow-covered mountain, Shion cooked, and Theia finished her meal. It was surprisingly tasty.
Of course, it wasn't actual 'taste', but merely electrical signals transmitted to the brain.
After all, this place was Shion's subconscious. Time stretched to extremes here, so there was no need for nutritional intake or gourmet experiences. Whether you ate a zombie brain or indulged in five-star fine dining, it was all the same.
"Are you… okay?"
Shion Ascal─ or more precisely, his subconscious─ asked.
Theia shrugged her shoulders.
"Yeah."
Right now, she had to pretend to be 'Tei', the person Shion knew. She wanted to dismiss it all due to her temperament, but maintaining 'flexibility' was extremely important in this situation.
Theia showed her ankle.
"My leg seems to be healing quite well."
"Huh? It's healing incredibly fast."
"...I'm a knight, after all. I heal well."
"True."
If the flexibility waivers, the subject's subconscious collapses.
When the subconscious collapses, it rises to consciousness.
Everything that happens in the subconscious transfers to consciousness.
In other words.
Shion would actually mistake the entire final test process, which should have been buried at the bottom of his subconscious, the 4-5 years that passed in the Matrix of the capsule, and 'Tei', his comrade, for reality.
It's a huge error.
Theia asked cautiously.
"...So, shall we start climbing?"
"No. Let's rest for today."
Shion was worried about her, but Theia almost cursed.
She couldn't exit the subconscious now that her external connection was cut off. The only way to end the experience was probably to complete the mountain climb.
"...sigh."
For the record, the time Theia had directly experienced in Shion's world was barely three hours.
Once she approached Shion as Tei and got somewhat close, Shion's subconscious would weave episodes related to 'Tei' on its own. As the comrade or friend Shion wished for.
"Hey. Don't worry. I can keep a secret."
Shion, misunderstanding Theia's expression, spoke. She bit her lip gently, recalling the inappropriate physical contact just now.
Of course, that too was merely an electrical signal...
It's annoying. It's bringing out my old personality.
"Let's sleep for a day and go."
Shion spread out his sleeping bag.
Theia sighed. Flexibility, flexibility, flexibility. She repeated to herself and held back.
"Yeah."
She also rummaged through her backpack. She had a sleeping bag too. She slid her body into it.
"..."
She blankly stared at the ceiling.
"Hey."
Shion spoke. Theia kept her gaze attached to the ceiling and closed her mouth.
"...I told you to speak."
"..."
"I don't know why you're hiding it, but I don't care whether you're a man or a woman."
"..."
Theia remained silent.
Then, Shion let out a faint sigh.
"...Sigh. Hey, I'll tell you something too."
Theia narrowed her eyes slightly. At that moment, Shion looked back at her.
"What will you tell me?"
"My secret."
As Theia, this was somewhat intentional. It's why she had disguised her gender as 'male'.
The best way to find out someone's secret is to share a secret.
She never dreamed it would go like this.
"You have a secret too?"
"...Yeah."
Shion gave a somewhat bitter smile.
"You probably can't imagine it."
"What is it?"
"I'll tell you when we reach the summit."
"...Fine."
She had planned to do the same.
As long as the flexibility isn't damaged, she has to help him climb as quickly as possible. That's the only way to escape from here.
"Let's climb to the summit together."
"Alright. So, relax your face and rest a bit. I really can keep a secret, okay?"
"...Okay."
Theia closed her eyes.
Whooooo───
The snowstorm quietly rolled in from outside the cave.
Crackle─ crackle─
The warm campfire burning inside.
It was a combination that invited sleep.
* * *
Two hours into the final test.
Zzzzzzzzz──!
The lids of the capsules in the examination room were opening one by one. Those who passed quickly were Gerkhen, Layla, Asher, Kain, Elise, and so on.... As expected, most of them were in the top ranks.
"Ah~ why am I so drowsy."
Layla looked around with half-open eyes.
"Yaaawn.... I'm sleepy."
She yawned as she stretched.
"Layla. Do you remember the test content?"
Elise, who was stretching next to her, asked.
"Me? Remember... I barely do. What about you, Elly?"
She had a feeling that she had taken some test in this capsule, but it was vague like a dream.
"I remember a little bit of the last part."
"Why?"
"Because I was great."
Elise said it in the most basic way. Layla looked at her and chuckled.
"Pfft. Oh, really. 'Elly the Great', huh~?"
"...What's that?"
"It's probably an aftereffect. A phenomenon similar to 'residue'."
The voice of a researcher who happened to come by.
He was checking several things on his tablet as he spoke.
"Don't worry, you'll forget it in a day or two. Elise, you scored a perfect 10. Layla, you got 9."
A perfect score.
A satisfying score.
Elise glanced at her waist. The rabbit doll 'Cookie' was hidden there.
Even in her unconsciousness, she had often relied on this Cookie. It was a strange thing.
"Why did I get 9? Elly got 10."
Layla glanced at Elise and asked.
"Layla, you passed in several areas, but you had an unconscious defense mechanism."
"...Ah. Right."
Layla had undergone unconscious training. To prevent herself from being discovered as 'Mila'. To hide her memories of her deceased father.
"There were deductions for transparency, but in all other areas, you showed excellent mental strength and pure empathy."
"Hmm~ That's good, right?!"
"Yes. You scored 9 points."
"Yay."
Elise shifted her gaze elsewhere.
Shion Ascal. He was still in the capsule.
But he'll probably be out soon.
He's the one who even survived the phantom.
"Elly. Shall we have a party to celebrate passing?!"
Layla hooked her arm around Elise's. Elise pushed her away.
"I have a magic tutoring schedule."
"...What? Even though the entrance exam is over? Why is your life like that, Elly?"
"What's wrong with my life?"
"You only study."
Elise raised an eyebrow and packed her stuff.
"Life is a process of learning."
* * *
...Ebert Mountain.
Theia climbed the mountain while maintaining as much flexibility in the situation and characters as possible.
With Shion, for a full three weeks. Of course, in real time, it would probably be between 10 and 20 minutes.
Whooooo───
As always, a blizzard was raging halfway up the mountain.
Shion stopped Theia from moving forward.
"Hold on. There's a yeti over there."
"...A yeti?"
Yetis are not programmed monsters.
Theia looked in that direction.
As he said, it wasn't a yeti… It was just a transparent skeleton covered in a blizzard, making it look like a yeti.
It's a 'vaccine'.
The capsule matrix's own security program. The target is likely herself.
In a situation where the external connection is cut off, an outsider like 'Theia' would be nothing more than a virus.
However, it's crucial that Shion doesn't discover that it's a vaccine. That in itself would be a flexibility error.
"Kill it in one hit. Yetis have excellent recovery abilities and will recover quickly."
At Theia's words, Shion drew his sword.
"Understood."
"...Can you do it?"
"Leave it to me."
The vaccine stomped its feet and charged. Shion took a deep breath and loosely held his sword.
At first glance, his posture seemed like he had given up on life.
But the moment the vaccine crossed a certain 'line'.
──.
The first sword soared vertically.
The second sword swept horizontally.
The third sword intertwined diagonally.
The three strokes of the sword were 'simultaneous'.
As if three swordsmen had released their sword strikes at the same moment.
His swordsmanship 'cut' through space, and the vaccine soon crumbled.
Theia observed the scene with an analytical eye, but analysis was impossible. It was an enigma in itself.
"What kind of swordsmanship is that?"
"...I learned it from my master."
That's all Shion answered.
"Which master… No, let's move on."
Regardless of what happened, she needed to keep Shion focused on the goal of reaching the summit. Before he discovered the existence of the vaccine.
"Alright."
Shion sheathed his sword. The two of them resumed their climb up the snow-covered mountain.
After some time had passed,
"Ah. There, a shelter."
Theia pointed in the distance. There was a faint shelter, like a distant lighthouse.
Shion's eyes widened in surprise.
"A shelter?"
"Yes. Ebert is popular as a training ground. So, there are such shelters starting from the middle. It means we've made it at least 60% of the way."
Indeed, the real Ebert Mountain is the same.
Theia, who had already conquered Ebert, knew this.
"Oh. You know a lot."
"Yes. I've seen it before… in a Dra-ma."
"Then let's rest here for today."
The two of them entered the shelter together.
In the cramped shelter, which seemed full with just four people lying down, there was a single TV.
"There's a TV?"
Shion showed interest.
"It seems so. It must operate on magic."
Of course, it's a machine prepared by the capsule matrix itself. The TV is the best way to project unconsciousness.
Theia, noticing this, picked up the remote.
"...Shall we watch it?"
"Sure."
"You turn it on."
She handed the remote to Shion. It was to activate the unconsciousness with Shion's will.
Ding-
He turned on the TV.
─In the news, Arkne's successor Soliette has been appointed as the first-ranked knight...
The first news was about Soliette.
Shion stared at the screen quietly. His expression was filled with affection and relief.
─In other news, there has been an incident of patients escaping from the Petra mental hospital.
"...Mental hospital?"
Theia chuckled, not understanding. On the other hand, Shion smiled somewhat proudly.
─In other news, Professor Theia, who was surrounded by all sorts of suspicions, has quelled all controversies and is said to be returning to her professorship.
"All controversies quelled...?"
The sudden news about Theia. At that moment, Theia furrowed her brows, and
Rumble───!
The inside of the shelter shook violently.
"What's going on?"
Shion looked around. Theia looked at her wrist.
[Warning: Flexibility Decrease]
It was a flexibility error. This TV only shows the content that Shion Ascal unconsciously 'wishes' for, so he felt uncomfortable.
Normally, he wouldn't notice with the TV.
"...Tsk."
This guy.
He's definitely not ordinary.
─In other news, the completion of the clinical treatment is not far...
Theia quickly turned off the TV. The vibration stopped at that moment.
"What was that just-"
"Shion. Do you know Professor Theia well?"
She quickly changed the topic.
"Professor Theia?"
"Yes. She was just on the news."
"Of course I know... huh?"
Shion suddenly stopped speaking. Then, blinking his eyes, he looked at himself.
His gaze was too sharp. Theia's head shrank back like a turtle.
"Why?"
"...Wait. What is this."
He furrowed his brows.
"You..."
Could it be.
Did he realize that she was Theia?
"...Speak. What."
Despite this, Theia maintained her composure. She quietly met his gaze.
"You look like Professor Theia? Are you her hidden younger sibling or something?"
Phew.
She swallowed a sigh of relief and shook her head.
"No. Would that be the case?"
"Right? There's no way she'd have a sibling. She doesn't even have friends."
Shion chuckled and leaned back against the chair.
"...Friends."
The comment about not having friends was a bit irritating.
"But, you, Tei. You really do resemble Professor Theia. Your names are even similar. Now I understand why I became friends with you."
"...You became friends with me because I resemble Professor Theia?"
"Well... not exactly. It's just that, for some reason, I didn't feel any aversion towards you from the moment we first met."
To Theia, the flow of this conversation felt somewhat strange.
Would a face resembling Theia's be a reason to not feel aversion?
"To that extent, you. You must know Professor Theia well, right?"
Theia asked him about Theia.
Shion responded with a small smile and a shrug.
"...I know her well. But she doesn't know me well."
Theia is good at reading people's expressions.
She saw the faint colors spreading across Shion's complexion.
Within them were hues of longing and goodwill, as well as respect and admiration.
"You know Professor Theia well? What kind of person is she?"
"Um... first of all. She's cold and aloof to everyone."
"?"
Theia was puzzled.
When did we ever meet?
Of course, up to this point, even if they hadn't met, these facts could be roughly known through rumors.
"Also, she doesn't have any friends. She doesn't have anyone to confide her innermost thoughts to. To use a metaphor, she's the type who likes good restaurants but can't go because she has no one to go with?"
"..."
Theia wanted to punch his face.
He had hit the nail on the head.
"Because she's a harsh and prickly person. She goes out of her way to make enemies. It's the same with her superiors and subordinates. Instead of just saying 'I understand-' and turning away, she points out every single mistake, making people tired."
"I think you've said enough-"
"She seems to do this because she knows better than anyone else that she's irreplaceable. She knows too well how good she is. So, she's frustrated with her subordinates and superiors who can't keep up with her."
"..."
Theia just lay down on the bed.
Shion's voice continued to flow.
"But... she's a good person. She's always been a good person."
His tone was reminiscent of recalling a pleasant past.
She was irritated by that.
"Hey. How do you know all this? Are you a stalker?"
Theia lost her composure for a very brief moment. Her questioning voice was prickly.
"A stalker... no. I was just a fan."
"A fan?"
"Yeah. Just understand it that way."
"Since when?"
"...A very long time ago. It's probably been more than 10 years."
A fan.
Of course, Theia was always a genius and always a star. Her every move had been publicized in the media since she was ten.
But precisely because of that, if he was a fan of Theia.
"That professor hates Libra."
"...Right."
Shion looked up at the ceiling with a sigh mixed with a smile.
"So, she'll probably become my enemy someday."
"..."
My enemy.
The one she could kill with the tip of her finger was talking about enemies.
Theia covered her face. She laughed silently.
"But there's no choice. Her methods are wrong."
She didn't know what was wrong.
She didn't want to ask.
"...I'm sleepy. Let's sleep."
"Okay."
Shion also lay down on the bed.
"Good night."
Theia didn't reply.
* * *
Rumble, rumble, rumble───!
At the summit of Mount Ebert, where a snowstorm was raging like mad.
I finally reached the top.
With my friend and colleague after the regression, Tei.
"Yahoo──!"
I shouted, but the sound didn't echo. Damn snowstorm.
I just looked at the person next to me.
"...You did well. Tei."
"...You too."
Tei, who glanced at me, shoved her hands into her pockets.
"But. Didn't you say you had something to tell me?"
"Something to tell?"
"Yes. When we reach the summit."
"...Ah, right. A secret."
I nodded.
I had a promise with her.
"But.... I'm naturally tight-lipped? I won't tell anyone that you're a woman."
"So. You're breaking the promise?"
Tei's eyes narrowed. I scratched the back of my neck.
"...It's not exactly a pleasant secret."
"It's okay. I'm not a good person to begin with. I'm naturally unpleasant."
Tei glanced at her wrist.
"Quickly. Tell me. We have to keep our promise."
"Um...."
A secret.
I've never told this secret to anyone with my own mouth. I've been caught by someone, though.
It's not a secret that gets better when shared.
But...
"...Okay."
Tei, I feel like I can tell her.
It feels like something will be relieved inside me.
"Tei."
"Yes. Speak. Don't waste time."
"...I'm trying to speak."
Tei has been quite sharp since the day she found out about my gender. Was that a sensitive secret to her?
Anyway.
"I."
I put on an appropriate smile.
What kind of expression should I use when I say this?
Honestly, I'll never know, but at least I should pretend that I'm not bothered.
"I'm on borrowed time."
Borrowed time.
Simply put, I don't have much time left to live.
"I probably won't make it past my 30s."
Tei's eyes looking at me.
Her pupils, always like obsidian, gradually grew larger. They shook, mixed with the snowstorm that wrapped around the summit of the mountain.
"That's my secret."
And then....